Shoe-machine.



E. A. STIGGINS.

SHOE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE17,1912.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

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E. A. STIGGINS.

SHOE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11. 1912.

1,131,746. Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHBET 21 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. STIGGINS, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHOE-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. Srmoms, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Shoe-Machines, of which the r a very low heel with a sharply beveled breast edge, it is usual to bevel oil the lift or heel at the desired angle before the lift, as it will be herein designated for convenience in referring to it, is a plied to the shoe. Usually the bevel is ma e by a straight knife with the lift held fiat which results, of course, in a plane or flat beveled face. When such lifts are placed beneath the heel portion of the sole and the sole broken down upon them in the sole laying machine, the pressure upon the heel portion of the sole shapes it and the lift beneath it to the heel seat of the shoe which is more or less convex. As a result the beveled edge of the lift is bent and the ends or corners thereof are bent inwardly so that the beveled ed e is no longer plane and hence the break ormed in the sole, corresponding to the breast of an ordinar heel, does not have sharp corners, as is desirable in the best class of work.

It is the object of the present invention so to form the heel lift that the above objections will be obviated and the shoe can be provided with a breast which is flat and has well-formed corners.

As an im ortant feature of the invention the heel li t, before the edge thereof is scarfed, is placed upon a convex edge or surface corresponding, roughly at least, to the convexit of the heel seat portion of a shoe, and the lift, prior to the action of the knife upon it, is pressed into conformity, particularly along the breast ed e of the lift, with the convexity of the sai edge or surface.

The scarfing cut is then made with a flat knife so that the breast edge of the lift will be flat when the lift is bent to conform to the curvature of the heel seat and not when in its original fiat condition.

As a further feature of the invention, the shaping of the lift to conform to the convexity of'the plate upon which it rests, that is, to the curve of the heel seat, is performed by the pressure against the lift of the knife itself before it begins to out the lift. To provide for this, the edge of the knife is given a vertical curvature substantially the same as that of the heel seat at the breast, so that, as the flat lift rests upon the convex plate, the edge ortions of the knife will first contact wit the lift and, because of the resistance offered by the leather, the edge portions of the lift will be carried down by the knife edge until they come into bearing with the convex plate, whereupon the knife will begin to cut and the breast portion will be sheared off while the lift 1s held in its bent condition. Preferably the edge portion of the plate which cooperates with the knife in erforming the scarfing operation is upwar ly convex to correspond with the curvature of the knife edge.

As a further feature of my invention, the portlon of the plate or rest upon which the ift is supported, which coiiperates with the knife in scarfing the lift, may be formed as a separate plate having an upwardly convex shearing edge corresponding to the curvature of the knife and upon which the breast end of the lift rests prior to the action of the knife and to which edge it is conformed by the pressure of the knife during its cutting action. The convex ed e upon which the lift rests may be raised a ove the plane of the remaining ortions of the lift supporting plate, and once this plate need not be convex but the convex shearin edge may be relied upon to shape the li t properly prior to the scarfing out. It is also within the invention to provide a flat knife having a straight edge to cooperate with the convex shearing edge or plate upon which the lift rests. In this case the knife begins to cut at the center of the lift owing to the ressure of the lift by the knife against the high part of its shearing edge. The cuttin action then extends progressively outwar toward the edge of the knife, the lift being pressed by the knife into contact with the edge as its cuttin action progresses.

As a urther feature of the invention gages are provided for positioning the lift laterally and longitudinally and a resiliently held stop or abutment is provided against which the breast end of the lift is pushed and which serves to prevent it from being displaced during the action of the knife and when, as in the present case, the machine is arranged to hold the lift at an inclination to the horizontal. Provision is also made for varying the angle of the scarfed edge of the lift by changing the height of the support for the rear portion of the lift.

These and other features of the invention will appear more fully from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and will be pointed out in the appended claims. Figure 1 is a side elevation of a. machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the work rest; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the work rest, showing its relation to the knife. partly in section, showing the relative positions of the stops, gages and abutments for locating the work; Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 55, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

The machine comprises an upright standard or frame 2 which carries, along its up per side portions, guides 4 in which a slide 6 is mounted for vertical movement. The slide 6 carries a knife supporting arm 8 to which the knife 10 is secured by a clamp 12. If desired, an abutment 14 may be provided to support the knife against flexure during its cutting action, and a stop 16 may also be employed to contact with the work and revent excessive movement of the knife.

referably, too, the stop is provided with an inclined face 7 for engagement with the lift. It is also desirable to provide a resilient connection 9 between the stop and its support so that the stop may come into contact with the lift and then yield during the cutting action of the knife, the knife being stopped when the limit of compression of the yielding element is reached. By this means the lift is held in position and prevented from slipping during the cutting operation. The slide 6 is pivotally connected at its lower end with a strap 20 which leads to a treadle. not shown, by which the knife slide 6 and knife may be vertically reciprocated. A post 22 is rigidly secured to the machine frame and carries at its upper end a head 24 upon which the lift positioning and supporting devices are located. An abutment 21 may be provided engaging the head 24 or the post 22 to prevent the post from yielding laterally.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view,

The head 24 is firmly secured to the post 22 by a set screw 26 and has its work supporting portion inclined to the horizontal at an angle of about 45. Upon each side of the work rest are gages or stops 28 which are mounted on overhanging arms forming part of slides 30, Fig. 5, which are arranged to be equally and oppositely moved by a right and left hand screw 32, turned by the milled head 34. The stops 36 are similarly mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the lift as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. The lift to be breasted is clamped lengthwise between the rear end abutments or stops 36, which are adiustably held in place by a screw rod 38 having a thumb head 40 by which they are adjusted for the size of lift to be cut. and an opposed member 42 which engages the breast edge of the lift and is yieldingly mounted by a spring43, Fig. 4, to take care of variations in lifts to be operated upon. At the breast end of the support 24 is located a plate 46 which is provided with an upwardly convex edge 45, Fig. 5. which coi perates with the knife in shearing off the breast portion of the lift. To secure the shearing edge of the plate 46 adiustahlv in position, a screw 48. Fig. 4, is threaded through the head 24 of the work sup ort and rests a ainst the plate 46.

The portion of the support upon which the work rests mav be formed as a separate member 50 which is wedge-shaped in general contour with its h ghest po t on 51 away from the knife and is provided with grooves 53 to permit the stores 36 to slide longitudinally thereof and with a flattened portion 55 to permit the gages 28 to be moved transversely of the lift. The plate 50 may be removed and replaced by another having a greater or less thickness at the back so as to varv the incl nation of the lift relatively to the knife and hence to vary the be el formed on the breast edge of the lift.

In the use of the machine, the gases 28 having been adiusted to center the width of lift to be operated u on and the abutmcnts 36 having been moved backward suflicientlv. the lift is positioned between the gages 28 and is pressed with its breast edge downward against the member 42 which is thereby caused to yield until the lift is brought down into place in front of the abutments 36 a ainst which it is then clamped and held by the yielding member 42 while it is being breasted. The forward end of the lift is now resting upon the upper edge of the plate 46 which is adjusted to a position in which it will have a shearing relation to the knife when the slide 6 is lowered. The operator now decreases the treadle. there y actuating the slide 6 and knife downwardly until the ed e of the knife engages the lateral edges of the top face of the lift. knife is preferably flat and has a concavity The image in its cutting edge corresponding to the convexity of the edge of the plate 46. It will be seen, therefore, that since the heel lift is normally flat it will be engaged by the knife first at the edges and by the plate 46 at its central portion, and that hence pressure of the knife upon those edges will bend the breast portion of the lift into conformity to the curvature of the knife edge and to the curvature of the edge of the plate 46 upon Whichit rests. When this has taken place, further relative movement of the lift and knife will cause the knife to cut the lift and remove a portion thereof, thereby forming on the lift a beveled edge face which will be plane when the lift is bent to an extent corresponding to the amount it will be bent when pressed forcibly against the heel seat of the shoe.

If a fiat knife having a straight edge is used it will begin to cut at the central portion which is opposite the highest part of the plate 46 and will act progressively toward the edges, bending the lift into contact with the edge 45 as the cutting action pro ceeds. The resulting lift, however, will be substantially equivalent to that breasted with a knife having a curved edge.

When a lift thus prepared is applied to the heel seat of a shoe and the outsole broken down over it, as is usual in the manufacture of spring heel shoes, the heel breast formed in the outsole over the beveled edge face of the lift will correspond thereto, that is, it will be plane with rela' tively sharp corners as is desirable in a well made shoe.

Having described my invention What ,1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A machine for forming on flat lifts breast scarfs whichwill be straight when the lift is bent to the transverse curvature of a heel seat, having, in combination, a curved rest over which the edge portion to be cut is bent with the lift in a plane in-' clined to the plane of the cutting action, and a knife arranged to cut the lift while it is so bent.

2. A machine for forming on flat lifts breast scarfs which will be straight when the lift is bent to the transverse curvature of a heel seat, having, in combination, a lift support, a curved cutting plate over which the edge portion to be cut is bent, a breasting knife, and means for relatively actuat' ing the knife and the support in a plane inclined to the face of the lift on the support to bend the lift and then to cut it on an angle while it is in bent condition.

3. A machine for forming on flat lifts breast searfs which will be straight when the lift is bent to the transverse curvature of a heel seat, having, in combination, a lift support, a curved cutting plate over which the edge portion to be cut is bent, a breasting knife having a cutting edge curved similarly to the cutting plate, and means for actuating the knife and the support and plate relatively to cause a Hat lift to be first bent between the curved edge of the knife and the plate and then to be cut in that bent condition. 4

a. A machine for forming on fiat lifts breast scarfs which will be straight when the lift is bent to the transverse curvature of a heel seat, having, in combination, a lift support, a fixed rear end abutment for the lift, a yielding breast abutment, side gages, a breasting knife having a curved edge, a cooperating cutting surface between which and the knife the lift is bent transversely, and means for actuating the knife and support'relatively in a plane inclined to the face of the lift.

5'. In a machine of the class described the combination of a convex cutting plate for sustaining the breast end portion of a heel lift, with a knife having a concave edge, said knife and plate cooperating to bevel the breast edge of the lift substantially as described.

*6. A machine for scarfing the breast edge of a heel lift, comprising cooperating cutting edges arranged for relative movement, said edges being curved in the plane of said movement, and means for presenting a lift at an inclination to the plane of relative movement of said edges.

7. A lift scarfing machine having, in combination, a knife and a cutting plate relatively movable to scarf the lift, the cutting edge of the knife being concave and the cooperating face of the plate being similarly convex, and means for supporting a lift at an inclination to the plane of such relative movement.

8. A heel lift scarfing machine having. in combination, a knife, a Work rest one end of which is formed with a convex shearing edge for cooperation with the knife edge, means for holding a lift in proper transverse and longitudinal relation to said knife edge, and means for moving said knife and rest relatively to each other.

9. A machine of the class described having, in combinatioma breasting knife, means for reciprocating it, and a lift support having a to!) face inclined forwardly and downwardly relatively to the path of the knife and a vertically convex supporting face over which the breast edge portion of the lift is bent for cutting it on a curve.

10. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a breasting knife, means for reciprocating it, and a lift support having, thefrear part of its face elevated to pitch the lift downwardly and for wardlv at an oblique angle to the path of the knife, and a convex face for supporting the breast edge of the lift to permit the lift to be bent transversely along the cutting line when it is beveled.

11. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a breasting knife having a concave cutting edge, means for reciprocating the knife, anda lift support inclined downwardly and forwardly toward the knife to causethe lift to be breasted on a bevel, said lift support also presenting at the heel breast a lift resting face con'vexed substantially parallel with the knife edge.

12. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a breasting knife having an upwardly concavecutting edge, means for reciprocating the knife vertically, and a lift support inclined downwardly and forwardly toward the knife to cause the lift to be breasted on a bevel and having its front edge face formed at an oblique angle to the lift supporting face and substantially parallel with the plane of movement of the knife, said edge face being higher in the center than at the ends.

13. A machine of the class described having. in combination, a breasting knife having a concave cutting edge, means for reciDrocating the knife, and a lift support inclined' longitudinally and rounded transversely and having a front shearing ed e substantially parallel with the plate of the knife movement.

14. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a breasting knife having a concave cutting edge, means for reciprocating the knife, a lift support inclined longitudinally and having a front shearing edge oblique to the lift supporting face, a back gage. and a yielding breast gage having its acting edge substantially perpendicular-to the lift supporting face whereby clearance is afforded for the knife between said edge and the adjacent edge of the lift support.

15. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a breasting knife,

means for reciprocating it, a lift support having an adjustable two point back gage 36, 36, relatively adjustable side gages 28, 28, and a yielding breast gage 42.

16. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a breasting knife, means to reciprocate it, a lift support having a shear plate to coiiperate with the knife,- a back gage for the lift, and a breast gage which can yield forwardly relatively to the shear plate.

17. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a breasting knife, means to reciprocate it, a post substantially parallel with the path of the knife, a head on the post having a lift supporting face oblique to the path of the knife, and lift positioning gages arranged to engage the sides and the rear face of the lift to hold it upon said inclined face in a predetermined longitudinal position to be breasted on a bevel.

18. A machine of the class described having, in cpmbination, a breasting knife, means to reciprocate it vertically, a lift supporting post having a face inclined forwardly and downwardly to support a lift in position to be breasted on a bevel, and an abutment 14 to support the knife against flexure during its cutting action, contacting centrally with the face of the knife and movable therewith.

19. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a breasting knife, means to reciprocate it, a lift supporting post having a face inclined forwardly and downwardly to support a lift in position to be breasted on a bevel, and an abutment 21 arranged to brace the post against yielding laterally to the transverse pressure of the knife, substantially as described.

In testimonv whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD STIGGINS.

Witnesses:

NORMAN C. HUSSEY, ELMER B. Gnusn,

Corrections in Letters Patent No. 1,131,746. 1

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,131,746, granted March 16, 1915, upon the application of Edward A. Stiggins, of Beverly, for an irnprovement in Shoe-Machines, errors appear in the printed specification requiringporrection as follows: Page 2, line 22, after the period, insert the Massachusetts,

words In the drawings; page 4, line 31, claim 13, for the word plate, read plane; same page, line 74, claim 18, after the reference-numeral l4 insert the words contacting centrally with the face of the knife and movable therewith; same page, lines 75-76, strike out the words contacting centrally with the face of the knife and movahle therewith; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflioe.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of September, A. D., 1915.

J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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